Authors:
Adrian Rodriguez
Abstract:
Disclosed is a method of using a personal device to check out yourself and aid with other shoppers’ checkout
Background:
The problem is that stores are looking for ways to bring technology into a store without the infrastructure expense.
Traditionally, BYOD devices have been a cost-free solution -- assuming security concerns are taken care of and customer devices are allowed on the "store network" or at least given access to the necessary services to complete a transaction.
What is needed is method for allowing customers or "temp clerks" to check themselves out and potentially check out other shoppers.
For example, if I'm at a Home Improvement Store and I know where an item is and can help a customer, I should be able to and check them out on my personal device, rather than waiting for an employee to come and potentially risk a sale because no one was available.
In this environment, extra auditing will be needed to track who checked out the customer and allow or restrict that "privilege" from shoppers with BYOD devices based on their history / profile.
Description:
In this method and system, a multi customer order will need to be recorded.
For example, customer 1 may login and checkout customer 2. Both may have email accounts and loyalty numbers. Each may need to be credited for the specific role they did. Additionally, customer 1 shouldn't be able to return items that customer 2 purchased.
In the preferred embodiment:
As shopper will bring a BYOD device.
They will get on the store network (or equivalent) to access POS services
They will login
-- this can be a special ID
-- this can be their email address
They will be prompted to see if they are checking themselves out or another customer
-- the other customer may be a loyalty member with their own credentials
-- the other customer may have an order in progress of which their battery died
Now, the order can be created with an author (the person who owns the device) and the customer (the person paying for the purchase). Neither of these must be store employees
Credit / incentives / discounts may be awarded to the order author in exchange for them providing the necessary hardware to complete the transaction.
In an alternate embodiment, the "authors" can be 3rd party service providers with elevated privileges such as certain Personal Shopping companies. These are employees of a store affiliate picking groceries for a customer of the store.
In an alternate embodiment, roles and restrictions may be applied to the BYOD device -- for example, they can only retrieve existing orders which have been picked by a trusted / store employee, or they may only be able to suspend an order which only a store employee can complete.
TGCS Reference 0534
